Spiral Piping Elbow for Compact Fluid Direction Change
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional piping elbows require larger diameters and increased space for high temperature or abrasive fluid flows, leading to undesirable pressure losses when trying to change fluid direction in enclosed systems.
Innovation Solution
A piping elbow design with a substantially-cylindrical body and tangential inlet and outlet, allowing for fluid flow direction change in a smaller space with reduced pressure loss, featuring a cylindrical body with a constant inside diameter and smaller diameter tangential inlet and outlet, converting linear fluid motion into rotational or spiral motion within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional piping elbows are used for high temperature or abrasive fluid flows, then the piping diameter must be increased, but this increases the space requirements and pressure loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a spiral curvature within a compact cylindrical body to redirect fluid flow. The spiral path allows the fluid to change direction without requiring a large turning radius, thus reducing space requirements while maintaining suitability for high temperature or abrasive fluid flows through proper lining selection.
2Reliability
If conventional piping elbows are used for high temperature or abrasive fluid flows, then the piping diameter must be increased, but this increases the pressure loss
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral curvature is designed to provide a gradual transition for the fluid flow, avoiding sharp bends that would cause turbulence and pressure loss. The smooth spiral path within the compact body allows directional change while maintaining flow efficiency and reducing energy loss.
3Device complexity
If standard piping elbows are used, then the design is simple, but they require larger size piping elements with increased turning radius
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a spiral curvature within a compact cylindrical body to achieve directional change in a limited space. This spiral design provides a gradual flow transition without requiring a large turning radius, effectively reducing the length of the stationary object while maintaining design simplicity through a standardized component.
4Volume of stationary object
If an elbow with small turning radius is used to reduce space requirements, then the space consumption decreases, but this causes undesirable pressure loss
Solution Approach 1:
The spiral curvature provides a gradual flow transition that minimizes turbulence and pressure loss, even within a compact space. The spiral path allows the fluid to change direction smoothly without the sharp bends associated with small-radius elbows, thus reducing energy loss while meeting space constraints.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables fluid flow direction change in a smaller space with minimized pressure loss, suitable for high temperature and abrasive fluids, and allows for modular assembly and easy maintenance with removable liners.
Implementation Method 1
Inside the body, linear motion of the fluid is converted into a rotational or spiral motion. The fluid in the body continues its spiral motion as it also moves axially through the body toward the tangential outlet. Upon exiting through the tangential outlet, rotational or spiral motion of the fluid in the body is converted back into linear motion.
Data Source
AI summary
A piping elbow capable of facilitating a fluid flow direction change in a smaller space than conventional piping elbows, without causing the larger pressure losses found when using conventional elbows in the equivalent space. Piping elbows of the present invention comprise a substantially-cylindrical body having a first end, a second end, and a substantially-constant inside diameter; a tangential inlet attached to the body near the first end of the body and having an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the body; and a tangential outlet attached to the body near the second end of the body and having an inside diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the body. Fluid flows linearly through the tangential inlet and enters the body. Inside the body, linear motion of the fluid is converted into a rotational or spiral motion. The fluid in the body continues its spiral motion as it also moves axially through the body toward the tangential outlet. The fluid exits the body through the tangential outlet. Upon exiting through the tangential outlet, rotational or spiral motion of the fluid in the body is converted back into linear motion. The piping elbows can comprise two substantially-identical components attached to each other. The two substantially-identical components can be removably attached to each other and oriented at a selected degree relative to each other to effect a desired change in the direction of fluid flow.